What is a ducks beak made from?

Question

Just looking at a duck and thought mmmm what is a ducks beak made from!

Answer 1

The outer cover of the beak is called rhamphotheca (which means precisely 'beak cover/sheath') and is made of keratin, the same protein that forms our nails and hair. The rhamphotheca is produced by the duck's epidermis. This outer beak is horny and usually hard, but in waterfowl, including ducks, it is thinner and softer (see Reference). In addition, the rhamphotheca of ducks has thin lamellar ridges on its outer edge which are used to filter their food from the water.

If you took away the rhamphotheca you'd find the living skin, and within it, the internal bony support of the beak, which is an extension of the skull bones, formed in the dermis.

Answer 2

Beaks can vary significantly in size and shape from species to species. The beak is composed of an upper jaw called the maxilla, and a lower jaw called the mandible. The jaw is made of bone, typically hollow or porous to conserve weight for flying. The outside surface of the beak is covered by a thin horny sheath of keratin called the rhamphotheca. Between the hard outer layer and the bone is a vascular layer containing blood vessels and nerve endings. The rhamphotheca also includes the knob which is found above the beak of some swans, such as the Mute Swan and some Swan Geese (pictured).

The beak has two holes called nares which connect to the hollow inner beak and thence to the respiratory system. In some birds, these are located in a fleshy, often waxy structure at the base of the beak called the cere (from Latin cera. Hawks, parrots, doves, and skuas are among the birds that have ceres. Budgerigars are dimorphic because the males' ceres turn bright blue upon maturity, while the females' ceres turn tan. The female budgies' ceres also appear wrinkled, to a greater extent during periods of fertility. Immature budgies have pale pinkish ceres which are smooth and shiny.

Nares are bird nostrils. The nares of birds are usually located directly above the beak. On some birds, such as the budgerigar, the nares are situated within the cere.

Beak

External naris labeled at left; internal naris labeled at right.
Gray's subject #223 994
Dorlands/Elsevier n_01/12558781
Nares can also refer to nostrils on other animals, such as sharks, rays, and sawfishes. Nares is a medical term from Latin that describes human nostrils.

On some birds, the tip of the beak is hard, dead tissue used for heavy-duty tasks such as cracking nuts or killing prey. On other birds, such as ducks, the tip of the bill is sensitive and contains nerves, for locating things by touch. The beak is worn down by use, so it grows continuously throughout the bird's life.

Unlike jaws with teeth, beaks are not used for chewing. Birds swallow their food whole, which is broken up in the gizzard.

Examples of birds with unusual beaks include the hummingbird, the toucan and the spoonbill.

Answer 3

bone, cartilage, and keratin, among other things.

uummm, here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beak
http://www.omlet.co.uk/guide/guide.php?view=Ducks&cat=About%20Ducks&sub=anatomy

http://www.earthlife.net/birds/bills.html
"A bird's bill is composed of a number of separate horny plates called rhamphotheca which are made of a protein called keratin (the same protein that makes our hair and a rhinoceros' horn). The rhamphotheca are fused together in most birds but some evidence can be seen of their individual existence in the bill of the Fulmar, Fulmaris glacialis."

Answer 4

I think it is made from bone - it has a blood supply and nerves so it is not like nails or hair, but i would imagine there is protein and calcium involved. My first thought was - "wood!", but then i realised I was imagining an umbrella handle...

Answer 5

It's sort of made of teeth. It is like bone in most ways but is not exactly the same.

Answer 6

Keratin, possibly

Answer 7

Same as bone, Calcium based.

Answer 8

mostly keratin, like the material your fingernails are made from

Answer 9

http://www.vinsweb.org/education/elf/units/bff.html

Answer 10

beakerlite... same stuff as old telephones!